Berne The Enge school building in Bern is an elementary school again
School started again for over 12,000 children in the city of Bern on Monday. 113 pupils now attend the Enge elementary school. The building had been rented out for years. It has now been renovated and creates additional school space in the Länggasse-Felsenau area.
12.08.2024, 16:25
SDA
The Enge elementary school offers space for ten classes of all ages and day care for schoolchildren, as announced on Monday by the City of Berne's Department of Presidial Affairs and the Department of Education.
The striking school building was built in 1910, the gymnasium in the 1930s. The ensemble sits prominently on the edge of the Viererfeld.
Educational palace in new splendor
"The Enge Schulhaus is one of the impressive educational palaces that the city of Bern had built in the rapidly growing outer districts around 1900," says the City of Bern's building inventory about the building.
As part of the 21-month complete renovation, the buildings were adapted to today's educational requirements and made barrier-free. The gymnasium is used for school sports and is rented out to clubs.
During the renovation, the city said it placed great importance on the reuse of building components. Parts that were still in good condition were left as they were. Almost half of the floor coverings were simply refreshed. For example, the over 100-year-old mastic asphalt flooring with terrazzo friezes in the corridors was retained.
By reusing existing components, the city was able to avoid waste and save energy. A photovoltaic system was installed on the gymnasium roof, which covers up to forty percent of the school's own electricity requirements.
In September 2022, voters approved a construction loan of 22.7 million Swiss francs for the renovation. According to the city, this credit target can be met.
